Lock construction



Nov. 1, 193-8. s. BRANTINGSON 2,135,323

LOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed July 17, 1957 INVENTOR i 28 I 50710 0? Brarzfiin son Patented Nov. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFICE LOCK CONSTRUCTION Sigurd Brantingson, Palisades Park, N. J assignor to Francis Kcil' & Son, Inc., a corporation of New York Application July 17, 1937, Serial No. 154,131

' 17 Claims. (01. 70-379) This invention relates to lock construction. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a lock construction that will be simple and in-- expensive in construction, and durable and dempendable. Another object is to provide a lock construction that will be capable of speed and ease in assembly or disassembly. Another ob.- ject is to provide a lock construction in which various of the parts, usually including also relal tively movable parts, may be held in operative relationship by means that are simple and inexpensive to construct, simple and easy to handle or manipulate, strong and durable, and. in action both eiiicient and reliable. 15. Another object is to provide a lock construction of the so-called' cylinder type and'hence having a casing, key plug, and connecting or operating bar, but constructed so thatthe individual parts are capable of simple, inexpensive and efficient fabrication, particularly on a quantity basis of production, and so that assembly of the parts may likewise be carried on with speed, efficiency low cost. Another object is to provide a lock construction of this type in which disassembly, as for example by a locksmith for purposes of changing the code or key-combination of the lock, may be quickly achieved without requiring troublesome handling or adjusting of relatively minute parts, without requiring such 1 skill or precision of manipulation as. might be beyond the range of skill of the average locksmith; and without risk of marring or deforming any of the parts in such a way as to make subsequent assembly or disassembly difficult or impossible. Another object is in general to improve lock constructions of this type and more particularly to improve in general the means and mode of holding various of the parts,'usually including also relatively movable parts, in assembled and operative relationship. Another object is to provide an improved lock construction shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lock construction in assembled relation, certain parts being broken away or shown in section;

Figure 2 is a plan view, as seen from the top of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is an end elevation partly in section, as seen along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, on a larger scale as seen along the line 4--4 of Figure 3, certain parts being omitted or broken away, and

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4 showing a possible modified form.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views in the draw- Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is generally indicated at ID a casing having a lower cylindrical portion ll bored out as at l2 to receive a key plug l3; the latter preferably has a peripheral flange I4 at its front or left-hand end that is received in the undercut. H3 at the front end of the bore l2 as the key plug I3 is inserted from the left, as viewed in Figure 1. The flange l4 thus actsto limit movement of the key plug l3 toward the right, while permitting freedom of rotation relative tothe casing l0.

Key plug I3 is provided with a key slot l6 which may be of usual. form toireceive any suitable form of key and it has appropriate tumblers or tumbler pins (not shown), such as pin tumblers, which may coact with tumblers, such as pin tumblers (not shown), arranged in the tumbler-receiving extension I! or the casing H]. The latter may have a front flange or escutcheon plate l8, preferably circular, and it may have near its right-hand or rear end screw threaded ears I!) to receive the securing or clamping screws (not shown) for holding the lock construction in installed position. The key plug [3 has connected to it at its rear end, in a manner about to be described, a connecting or operating bar 29 which makes, connection with the part or parts, such as a bolt mechanism (not shown), which are to be actuated by the movement of the key plug I3.

The right-hand or rear end of the cylindrical casing portion II is preferably faced off in any suitable manner, as at 2|, in Figures 1 and 4, to provide an end face whose plane is at right angles to the axis of the key plug l3. Key plug l3 ispreferably of a length greater than the length of the bore l2 and hence has a rearwardly extended portion I3 The diameter of the key plug is is such that it neatly and snugly fits into the bore l2 to permit appropriate movement of the former relative tothe latterunder the centroid the proper key.

' {The rear or right-hand end of the key plug l3 (Figures 1 and 4) is preferably provided with a 1 recess 22-.which maybe formed in any suitable manner and is preferably of cylindrical shape,

beingconvenientlyformed by the use of a drill;

preferably also the axis of the recess 22 is coincidentrwith the axis of the key plug 13. Pref-' erably also and where the key plug 13 is to partake ofonly rotary movement, the recess 22 is of a depth (see Figure 4) to extend inwardlyof the plug I3 (to the left) beyond the plane'of the end face 2!. Into therecess 22 is receivable an end of the connecting bar 20, that'end being 1 provided with an aperture 23 as isfbetter shown in Figure 4. I

Ther rearwardly.projecting end portion ['3 of.

the key plug [Sis provided witha groove 24 which is preferably co-related with respect to certain other parts-about .to'be described and tothe end face 2|. of the casing l0; preferably the'groove 24, and for convenience in manufacture, extends throughout the entire periphery. of

' the plug'endl3 and in thepreferred embodiment groove 24, as is better shown in Figure 4, is in cross section arcuateand preferably is 50 positioned and its arcuate' cross section of ,such r a radius of curvature that, with the key-plug .13

ins rted into the casing 10 so that the front flange I4 snugly bottomsin thebore undercut continued, istangent to the end face 2|. This preferred though illustrativeconfiguration of the parts makesit possible for me to employ, seated in the groove 24 and in co-action with the end face 2!, a cylindrical or.round crosssectioned member which,if of the same radius of curvature as the groove, thus. not only seats snugly in V the latter'buti also 'rnakes'a neat tangential or substantially tangential contact with the end face 21. -In the drawing,-the above-mentioned member is shown and is generallyindicated by the'referonce character25 and a' portion of it, namely portion 25**, is, in Figure '4, shown seated in the groove 24 and, being inthe preferred form of the same radius of curvature as that of the cross section of the groove '24, is substantially tangenitial to the, end face 2|.

' This member 25 which, as will presently :ap-' Ipear, may bejmade of a suitably diametered or cross sectioned wire, preferably springy, has, be.- sides the portion 25*,another portion 25 The portion 25 is'preferably straight and has a length 5 preferably greater than the diameter ofthe plug iextension [3 asappears better from Figure3, :and-the aperture 23 in'the connecting bar 20 is of a size. to permit the portion 25 to pass through it, preferably with a suitable degree of looseness of fit.

The portion, 25 of the member 25 extends.

through suitable apertures'in the end extension !3 of the'key plug.I3. Preferably'these apertures are paired and preferably there are two pairs of such apertures. Thus apertures 26 and 2! form one pair and are preferably alined along adiameter ofthe key plug 13 at right angles to'the plane of the key slot l6, while apertures 28 and 29 form the other'pair and are likewise alined on a diameter but preferablyin the plane of the key 'slot, IS, the diameters along which IS, the arc of cross section of the groove 24, if r with a drill whose diameter is preferably twice 7 the radius of curvature of the peripheral groove 24; also .and' preferably, the axes of these pairs of apertures fall in the same plane and preferably that plane coincides with a'plane that extends transverse through the key plug and bi-H sects the peripheral groove 24.

The portion 25 of the member 25, as shown V in Figure 3, has a curvature such that, when seated in groove 24, it jsnugly bottoms in, and

follows the peripheral or arcuate curvature of,

the groove .24 and it is preferably of an extent greater than 90 degrees and less than 180' degrees. 3

Accordingly, in assembling the casing I0, key plug 13 and connecting bar 20, the plug [3 is first inserted into the bore I2 of the casing It] so that the plug extension l3 projects from the casing a and exposes the peripheral-groove 24, as shown in Figure 4; then the connecting bar 20 has its apertured end projected into the plug recess 22 j and is temporarily held in any suitable manner, as t by the fingers of the hand, so that the aperture 23 is in alinement with one or the other of the pairs of-apertures 262'I and '28-29,'illustratively, as shown in the drawing, in alinement with the pair Themember 25 then has its of apertures 262'I. straight portion 25 entered into the alinedapertures 26-'-23--21 (see Figure 3), and as the portion 25' is'thusentered into position, the portion 25*? may, during that entry movement, be ultiof portion 25 as the member25 moves toward the right, as viewed in Figure 3, may be held in alinement with the groove 24 which, asthis move- -mately related to the. groove .29 in various ways. I For example, and particularly where the-springi- 7 V ness of themember 25 is not too stiff, thefree end ment-co'ntinues, cams the portion 25? or spreads 25 until the free end of the portion 25 rides viewed in Figure 3," whence .incontinuing'this movementjto its conclusion the portion 25 becomes snugly seated in somuch of the peripheral extent of the groove 24 in clockwise direction from the, aperture 26 (Figure 3) as coincides with the arcuate extent, illustratively greater'than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, as of the portion l5 itself.

Or, and particularly" where the member 25 is ,it in a direction away from the straight portion t 7 over the crest of the key plug extension, as it isof a stiff springiness'the portion 25, during the movement of entering the straight portion 25 into the alined apertures 26, 23 and 21, isheld in ;a tilted positionso that the portion 25 moves into the'freespace betweenthe connecting bar 20- and theright of the end face of the key plug l3, as theseparts are viewed in Figure 4; w-henthe f portion 25 has completed its entering movement the curved portion 25*- is then swung in counterclockwise directionas viewed in Figuresl and 4, about the axis of the straight portion 25?, is

sprung over the end [3 of the key plug I3, which 7 for this. purpose, is preferablyrounded off or chamfered, as at I3 (Figure 4), and into the i peripheral'groove 24, where it is held, the groove 24 acting as a retaining notch. l In either case, the springiness or resilience of the portion 25 relative to the straight portion I 25 causes a substantially half-cylindrical part of the key plug to be snugly and securely gripped springingof the portion 25 over the end of the therebetween and the straight portion-25 becomes dependably held against retrograde movement. The preferred arrangement, in-which the curvedportion' 25 isof an extentgreaterthan free end projects substantially'beyond the surface of the key plug end portion 13 into tangential relationship to the end face'2'l of 'thecasing, as in the preferred form, the above described spring and gripping action also'insures that-this free end of the portion 25 is completely projected outwardly and into the above-mentioned relationship to the end face 2|.

With the parts proportioned as above described and the member 25 related to the key plug and the casing as just described, the connecting bar 29 becomes dependably connected to the key plug and with sufficient freedom or looseness to take care of anymisalinement between the lockconstruction and the bolt mechanism-with which the connecting bar 20 is to coact, and where the key plug i3 is to partake only of rotary motion, all of the parts of the member 25 that are exposed externally of the key plug l3 become positioned and held in substantially tangential relation to the end face 2|; in the preferred form this latterrelation exists between the curved portion 25 and the end face 2 l-(see Figure f) and between the externally exposed part'or' parts of thestraight portion 25 and end face 2|, so that, in coaction with the front flange l4, end play of the key plug I 3 with respect to the casing ill isdependably prevented while appropriate freedom of rotary movement of the key plug under the action of the appropriate key is assured. j I

Disassembly of the parts held together by the member 25 may easily takeplace; For this pur-' pose it suffices, in order to overcome'the springy gripping action of the opposed portions- 25 and 25 of the member 25 upon the key plug, to effect removal of the portion 25 from the peripheral groove 24 and the portion 25 from its alined aper-' tures. This may be effected in any suitable manner, illustratively by reversing the procedure or procedures above described in connection with effecting the assembly of these parts.

Thus, for example, by exerting appropriate force upon the right-hand end of the portion 25 as viewed in Figure 3, the latter is made to move portion 25 away from the portion 25 to bring about the spreading that is appropriate for effecting removal in this manner.

Or the portion 25 is forcibly swung in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4 about the axis of the portion 2%, the portion 25* spreading away from the portion 25 to bring the former into the free space of the angle between the end face of the key plug 13 and the connecting bar 20, whence the device 25 is moved into a direction to withdraw the portion 25 from the alined apertures in which it has been seated. If desired, in effecting this mode of manipulation, the extreme end of the curved portion 25 may begiven an offset as at 25 (Figures 2 and 3) to provide a space between the offset portion 25 and the end of the casing Ii] into which a suitable implement, like a screw driver, may be positioned to bring about the just described clockwise swinging and keyplug t3. i a Under some circumstances and. particularly to simplify certain aspects of the construction and its functioning. the peripheral groove 24 may be shaped so that the curved portion 25 of the member25 need not assume and retain a tangential relationshipto the end face 2| of the casing; in such case the groove 24, as is better shown in Figure 5, is given any suitable cross-section or configuration, such as is indicated at 24* in Figure 5, as will give. the portion 25 some play or latitude 'of movement in a direction away from the end. f-ace=2|. As indicated in Figure 5, the groove 2 3 while it may have a depth commensurate with that of the groove of Figure 4 has a greater width in order that, as i's also indicated in Figure 5;. the portion 25 need not contact the end face 2! With an arrangement such as that of Figure 5, thesubstantially tangential relationship of the straight portion 25 of the member 25 with the end face 2.1 will suflice.

In drilling the opposed pairs of holes 2621 and 2829 it is possible that the drill, which, if the drillingis' effected with the key plug 13 already in the casing l ll, operates" substantially tangentially to the end face 2|, would cause a distortion or burring of the metal at the surface of the key plug l3 and that such distortion or burring might. cause a binding of the key plug 23 as it moves relative to the bore l2 of the casing H]. To prevent this from taking place, the endportion l3 of the key plug I3 is made of slightly lesser diameter than that of the bore l2 and that difference in diameters is preferably carried inwardly of the casing portion H to an appropriate extent, thus to provide an annular gap l3 ,(better shown in Figure 4) in which any such distortion or burring of the metal of the key plug thus becomes accommodated, so that binding of the keyplug relative to its bore is dependably precluded.

-It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a lock construction in which the several objects herei-nbe-fore noted together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. It will be seen that the individual parts'are of simple and inexpensive oonstruction'and that their assembly or disassembly can be effected with facility and many other advantages. Moreover it will be seen that the construction is well adapted to meet the varying requirements and conditions met with in practice.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be madein the embodiment above set forth, it is to be'un'derstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is

to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense;

- I claim? 1. In lock construction, in combination, a casing member, a key plug member movably mounted said key plug member having also a groove in its periphery and extending from at least one of said apertures, and a device made of springy material and having two portions, one portion of which is insertable into said opposed apertures for engagement with said bar .member in said recess and the other portion of which is sprung into en-' gagement with said groove, said two portions, by thespringiness of said material, gripping partoi said plug'member therebetween to hold said deviceinposition. p a 2. In lock construction, in combination, acasing member, a key plug member movably mounted therein, an operating .bar member for transmitting movement from said key p-lug member, said key plug member having a recess inits rear end for; receiving saidbar'member and having op- V posed cylindrically-walled apertures the axis of'v which intersects said recess and said casing member having a rear end face the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of said plugmember and to which plane'the cylindrical walls of said alined apertures are substantially tangent, a

cylindrical member fittedinto said opposed apertures and'having an intermediate portion in engagementwith that end of said barmember that a is in said recess and havin'g'ja portion projecting externally of said key plug member and extending aboutithe latter for more "than 90 degrees to hold said cylindrical member against movement out of'said alined apertures and at least a part of said projecting portion being in substantially tangential'contact with said rear. end face of said casing member. 7

' ing member, a key plug member movably mounted therein, an operating bar member for transmitting movement from said key plug member, said key plugmember having a recess in its rear end for receiving said bar member and having opposed cylindrically walled apertures the. axis of which intersects said recess and said 7 casing member. having a rear end face the planeoi which is at.

right anglesto theiaxis of said plug member and to which plane the cylindrical walls of said alined apertures are substantially tangent, and a device made'of a springy material and having two'p'ortions, one portion being substantially cylindrical,

and fitted into said alinedaperturesso thatan intermediate partthereof engages that'end' of said bar member that is in said recess and the other portion yieldably gripping a' part of said plug member between itself and first said mentioned portion to hold thelatter against move-, s jmen'tjout of said apertures, said device having a g 7 part that is in substantially tangential contact said keyplug member'having a recess in its rearend for receiving said bar member and having opposed; cylindrically-walled apertures the axis of which intersects said recessand said casingmember, having a rear endface theplane of which is at right anglesto the axis of said plug member and to which plane' the cylindrical Lwalls of said alined apertures are substantially tangent, said plug member havingran external groove, and a device made of a springy mate- 7 rial having a portion that is substantially cylindrical and fitted into said alined're cesses so that an intermediate part'thereof engages the bar member in said recess and a portion projecting externally of said key plug for substan-r tially tangential contact with said rear end face j j of said casing member, said second portion of said device being sprung into said groove-to hold 3. In lock construction, in combination, a cassaid device against disengagement from said key plug.

5. In lock construction, in combination, a cas- 7 ing member, a key plug member movably mounted therein, an operating bar member for trans mitting movement from said key plug member, a

and a single device holding said three members inassembled relation, one of said members and said device having means for holding said device against unintentionalremoval therefrom,

said means comprising an arm-like springy exand said device said one of said members is yieldably gripped.

. .1 6. In lock construction, in combination, a key,

plug and an operating bar having anaperture V at one end, said key plug having opposed wall portions between which the apertured end of said bar is received and said opposed wallyportions having each an aperture, a pin having itsend portions resting, in said two opposed apertension of said device between which extension tures and having an intermediate portion that extends through the aperture in said-end of saidoperating -bar,said pin having an extension externally of saidkey plug and of a length suf-' ficient to encompass between itself and said pin a portion of said key plug and thereby-to hold said pin against moving out of said opposed apertures.

7. In lock construction, in combination, a key plug and an operating bar, said key plug having spaced opposed wall portions in the space between which said bar is received and at least one of said opposed wall portions having an aperture leading to said space, apin having a portion in said aperture and'anothe'r portion p r0 jecting into the space between said two opposed wall portions and having its said second-mentioned portion in engagement with said operat ing bar, said pin having an extension external of said key plug and engaging a portion of the latter that comprises more than 90 degrees from one of said end portions. I

8. In lock construction, lncombination, a key; plug and an operating (bar, said key plug hav-, ing opposed wall portions between which said bar is received andsaid opposed wall portions havingfeach an aperture, a pin having its end portions resting in said two opposed apertures and having an intermediate portion in engagement with said operating bar, said pinuhaving a curved pin retaining extension th'at extends along more than 90 degrees of the periphery of said key plug and in a peripheral direction from one 'of said aperturesf v g 9. In lock construction, in combination, atcasing, a key plug movably mounted therein, said key plug having aperture means exposed in a surface thereof, and a pin received in said aper- Vture means for coaction with said casing mem-' 'berto limit movement of said key plug relative to said casing, said pin having an arm-like rspringy' extension external of said aperture means between which and said pin a,portion of said key plug is yieldably. gripped for thereby holding said pin against movement out of said; aperture means.

10 In lock construction, in combination, a casing member, a key plug member movably mount:

ed therein, one of said members having aperture means, a pin received in said aperture means and having a portion for coaction with the other ofv said members tolimit relative movement between said plug member and said casing member, and an arm-like springyextension of said pin external of said aperture means between which extension and said pin a portion of said aperture-bearing member is yieldably gripped.

11. In lock construction, in combination, a casing member, a key plug member movably mounted therein, an operating bar member for transmitting movement from said key plug member, and means for holding at least two of said members in assembled relation and comprising aperture means in one of said two members and a device having two portions, one of said portions being received in said aperture means and extending into engagement with the other of said two members and the other of which portions is external of said aperture means and is yieldable relative to said one portion and with the latter yieldably encompassing therebetween at least a portion of said aperturebearing member.

12. In lock construction, in combination, a key plug and an operating bar, said key plug having opposed wall portions between which said bar is received and said opposed wall portions having each an aperture, a pin having its end portions resting in said two opposed apertures and having an intermediate portion in engagement with said operating bar, said key plug having an external notch positioned to one side of a plane passing through the axis of said key plug and the axis of said pin, and means in connection with said pin and receivable in said notch to hold said pin against movement out of said apertures.

13. In lock construction, in combination, a key plug having an aperture extending in the direction of a diameter of said plug and exposed in the cylindrical surface of said plug, said plug having a groove extending peripherally from said aperture and to an extent greater than degrees, and a device carried by said plug and having two portions, one portion being received in said aperture and the other portion having a configuration that provides an end part that engages in said groove beyond a point spaced 90 degrees from said aperture, thereby to hold the said first mentioned portion against movement out of said aperture.

14. In lock construction, in combination, a key plug having an aperture extending substantially in the direction out a diameter of said plug and exposed in the cylindrical surface of said plug, said plug having a notch in its cylindrical surface at a point spaced substantially 90' degrees from said aperture, and a substantially U-shaped -member carried by said plug and having one of its arms received in said aperture and the other of its arms engaged in said notch.

15. In lock construction, in combination, a casing member, a key plug member movably mounted therein, an operating bar member for transmitting movement from said key plug member, said key plug member having a recess in its rear end for receiving said bar member and having opposed cylindrically-walled apertures the axis of which intersects said recess and said casing member having a rear end face the plane of which is at right angles to the axis of said plug member and to which plane the cylindrical walls of said alined apertures are substantially tangent, said plug member having an external groove, and a device made of a springy material having a portion that is substantially cylindrical and fitted into said alined recesses so that an intermediate part thereof engages the bar member in said recess and a portion projecting externally of said key plug, said last-mentioned portion being sprung into said groove to hold said device against disengagement from said key plug. 16. A lock construction as claimed in claim 15 in which said second-mentioned portion of said device and said groove are respectively crosssectioned in such manner that said groove holds said portion in substantially tangential contact with said rear end face of said casing member.

7. A look construction as claimed in claim 15 in which said groove is proportioned relative to the remaining part in such manner that said second-mentioned portion of said device is thereby held out of tangential relationship to said rear end face of said casing member.

SIGURD BRANI'INGSON. 

